Heater starting and lighting device



Oct. .26, 1948. J.' G. LlNDSAY v HEATH R STARTING AND LIGHTING DEVICE Filed Aug. '50; 1944 Patented Get. 26, i948 U'N T LEPj TATES PATENT F V "James Gibson Lindsay, SanDimas, .Calif as- 1 signor to Fay C. Marchant; San Dimas, Calif;

'Ap'plicationA'ugust 30, 1944, SerialNo. 551,881

1' Claim.

' *Thi'sdnvention' relates to a lighting deviceand more particularly to such a device having particular utility in conjunction with orchard heaters, smudge pots, flues, stacks or the like.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a device adapted to provide a relatively steady continuous flame, to be utilized in igniting orchard heaters or similar devices utilizing fuel of low volatility, normally difficult to ignite.

An additional object is to provide a device for use with orchard heaters or the like adapted to effect a material saving of the highly volatile fuel normally used in initially lighting such devices.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the seveveral views:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the device of the instant invention as applied to an orchard heater.

Figure 2 is a side sectional view of the device taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, enlarged.

Figure 3 is a front plan view of the device shown in Figures 1 and 2, certain concealed parts thereof being indicated by dotted lines, and

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the device seen in Figure 3.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of this invention it may here be pointed out that orchard heaters and similar heaters used to protect field crops, customarily burn low grade distillate, which is of very low volatility and diificult to ignite. It is, therefore necessary to light the heaters with torch lighters or similar devices containing a fluid of high volatility, such as a mixture of half heater oil and half gasoline. It is difficult to light this type of heater normally, and under adverse conditions such as extreme cold, the presence of stale oil or the like, extremely difficult. Hitherto the method of lighting such devices has been to have one operator pour ignited lighter fluid into the draft opening of the heater reservoir, while a second man followed at an interval to adjust the draft and relight any heaters which had gone out. Inasmuch as several hundred heaters may be utilized in a relatively small area, and quick lighting is essential during periods of rapidly falling temperatures, the amount of labor required to satisfactorily ignite such a number of heaters, and the consequent time consumed under the old conditions above described is material.

A primary object of this invention, therefore, is

to -provide animproveddevice adaptedto be ap-' pliedtosuch heaters, whereby the same may :be readily ignited, by one man traveling through the orchard or other cultivated area which it is desired to protect, with a relative minimum of time and difficulty, the device being so designed as to obviate the necessity of a second man following to adjust the draft or reignite unignited heaters.

Having reference now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figure 1, there is generally indicated at in an orchard heater or the like of conventional design comprised of a base including a reservoir I! and a draft stack l2. The base II is provided with a filler opening I3 and the stack I2 is provided with a plurality of draft louvres I4, each of which comprises, as best shown in Figure 2,. a convex portion I5 outwardly struck from the metal of the stack I2 which serves as a deflector for rain, and keeps the same from extinguishing the flame within the heater. In the striking operation an inwardly formed lip It is usually left on the interior of the stack. The device of the instant invention comprises a cup-shaped receptacle generally indicated at .20 having a concave rear wall 2| of a configuration adapted to conform to the radius of curvature of the stack I2. Receptacle 20 is provided at an intermediate point of concave wall H with a finger 22 bent downwardly in U-shape as at 23 adapted to engage a lip I6 of a draft louvre I4. The front wall of receptacle 20 is provided with an upwardly extending shield or guard 24 designed to extend upwardly substantially to the lip of the draft louvre to serve as a windshield to preclude the accidental extinguishing of the flame.

The operation of the device is as follows. One of receptacles 20 is provided with a quantity of fuel, of relatively high volatility, suflicient to burn for 20 or 30 minutes, and hooked by means of finger 22 into one of draft louvres Id. Thefuel in the receptacle is then ignited and the draft in the stack I4 pulls the same inwardly as indicated in Figure 2, which flame serves to ignite the gases and vapors given off by the previously ignited fuel within the reservoir ll. These vapors may initially constitute a relatively large quantity of heavy black smoke which is relatively non-combustible. The flame from the fuel in this receptacle 2!! continues to burn until such time as the burning fuel in reservoir II has reached a degree of heat sufiicient to give off vapors of relatively high volatility, which will continue to burn from the continued heat of combustion in the heater.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that 3 l the device of the instant invention may be applied to an orchard heater and the fuel therein ignited, and that the device will serve to insure satisfactory ignition of the heater, without the necessity of a further check subsequent to the initial ignition.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided a, device accomplishing all the objects of this invention and many others including advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

In an ignition device an orchard heater having a cylindrical upright stack and provided with draft louvres therein, a cup-like receptacle having a concave side adapted to conform to the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hollinshead Oct. 4, 1898 Libby Sept. 2, 1913 DuPont Aug. 29, 1922 Lewington, et al. Sept. 6, 1927 Bruner, et al Sept. 13, 1938 Number 

